BETWEEN them they dominated the pop charts for three decades, selling more than 200 million records.

Now New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boys have joined forces and the supergroup will return to the stage in Birmingham this month much to the delight of most girls who grew up in the 1990s.

The line-up features all of the original members except Kevin, all relishing the opportunity to wow their UK fans when the tour starts on April 20, arriving at the LG Arena on April 27.

Speaking to the Birmingham Mail, Howie Dorough, 39, from the Backstreet Boys, said: “We’ve had an unbelievably amazing time in Birmingham and all of the UK.

“We have such a great history with our friends who for whatever reason want to keep seeing us, so we keep coming with more music.”

Howie said the supergroup are looking forward to touring the UK, in particular experiencing the Birmingham’s nightlife.

“What I am looking forward to is going out, I always have a great time in Birmingham, you definitely have a great nightlife. I’m looking forward to the great food and beers.

“And I love the accent, it’s very cheeky, us Americans fall in love with the accent and unfortunately when we try to mimic it we sound like Dick Van Dyke.”

Although both massive during their heyday, the two groups never overlapped, with NKOTB disbanding when Backstreet were starting to make waves in the music industry.

Howie said there was no reluctance when it came to joining forces: “Not at all, Backstreet Boys have been going strong for almost 20 years, both groups have known each other throughout the years.

While the New Kids were doing their thing, we were seeing them on TV and much respect to them and their work.

‘‘When they decided to take a break, we carried the torch. “We’ve been following each other’s careers throughout the years and bumping into each other. Then when we were both in New York recently, we got a call from New Kids saying they were bringing other artists in the middle of their show and were we interested. We said why not? The reaction of the fans was amazing, we were blown away.”

The boys, or men, with the majority in their late thirties, have promised two hours of high energy entertainment, with a trip down memory lane as well as new material.

Howie added: “The show starts off and ends with us all on stage together. In between that both groups perform on their own and we trade off.

And Howie says when it comes to demands backstage, they are a low maintenance bunch.

“Both groups are not that extravagant, we share catering and a lot of time we’ll order ketchup with our dinner. In our rooms we have different requests but our group is not that out there, we order juice and vegetables, basic teas, towels and waters. We try to be healthy as we are getting older.”

But Howie admits that things can get a little crazy backstage, as a result of their tribe of children.

“In my team we have three kids between us, then Joey has three, Danny four, Jordan two and Donny two.

‘‘The youngest is eight months, right up to the oldest, aged 18. We could be a whole new boy band if we put our kids together, family rooms in the back are quite fun.”